Rental Car with Luggage

Question

We are staying in Napa at the Napa Winery Inn. Our flight home is 11:45 PM. We will have a rental car. During the day, we will leave our luggage at the hotel after check out, but are planning to meet relatives for dinner in/near S.F. before going to the airport.

My question is-is it safe to have luggage in the car when going to dinner? What other options would you suggest? Is there a good restaurant near the airport that would be a safer option for parking with luggage?

Answer

This is a very common question for visitors driving into San Francisco, and the short answer is: it is generally not safe to leave luggage in a car while dining anywhere in the city. Car break-ins are frequent, fast, and often occur even in busy, “nice” neighborhoods. Thieves specifically target rental cars and vehicles with visible luggage. Because your dinner is just a few hours before a late-night international departure and you cannot risk losing your luggage or documents, it’s smart to plan around this.

Fortunately, you have several safer alternatives—either by avoiding leaving luggage in SF entirely or by choosing dining areas near SFO where break-ins are far less common.

Why parking with luggage in San Francisco is risky:

Break-ins happen in minutes, in daylight, in crowded areas, and often without a sound. Even if your luggage is in the trunk, thieves can pop trunks very quickly on most cars. Rental cars are especially watched because criminals assume there will be valuables inside.

Good alternative options:

Option 1: Drive directly to your relatives (outside San Francisco) If your relatives can meet you somewhere outside the city—Oakland, Berkeley, Walnut Creek, Emeryville, San Rafael, San Mateo, Millbrae—this eliminates the risk entirely. Suburban areas are far safer for parked cars with luggage.
Option 2: Store luggage at SFO before dinner SFO has an airport luggage storage service (“Airport Travel Agency” in the International Terminal). You could drive to SFO first, drop luggage there, then go to dinner in SF without anything in the car. This gives you total peace of mind.
Option 3: Have dinner near SFO instead of in San Francisco There are many good restaurants in Burlingame, Millbrae, and San Mateo that are close to the airport and much safer for a car with luggage. You could meet your relatives somewhere convenient to them and still avoid SF parking risk.
Option 4: Return the rental car early and use BART/Uber Return your rental car at SFO late afternoon, take BART or rideshare into SF for dinner, then return to the airport without the stress of dealing with luggage or parking.
Option 5: Choose a restaurant with valet parking (in SF or near SFO) Valet does not eliminate risk completely, but major hotels and higher-end restaurants with attended lots are much, much safer than leaving your car parked on the street or in an unattended garage.

Restaurants near SFO where parking is safer:

Areas around Burlingame, Millbrae, and San Mateo are popular for pre-flight meals because they offer easy parking and much lower break-in rates than SF proper.

Burlingame Avenue Walkable area with lots of dining. Examples include:
- Italian trattoria-style dining
- Seafood houses
- Casual American eateries
Street parking is generally safe; many lots are well lit.
Millbrae Excellent Asian dining, including Chinese, Japanese, and dim sum options. Lots of small shopping-center parking lots with lower theft rates.
San Mateo (Downtown or Hillsdale area) Very lively food scene—ramen, sushi, tapas, farm-to-table spots. This is a safe, vibrant suburban area with plenty of public parking structures.

If you prefer a quiet sit-down meal very close to SFO:

Restaurants inside major hotels near SFO (Hyatt Regency, Westin, Marriott Waterfront) You get monitored lots or valet plus pleasant waterfront settings—very convenient for late flights.
Waterfront spots in Burlingame/Millbrae Great bay views and easy parking, only 5–7 minutes from the terminals.

If you absolutely must eat in San Francisco:

Use valet parking at a major hotel restaurant (Union Square, Nob Hill, Fisherman’s Wharf). Your car is supervised and safer.
Do not park on the street under any circumstances.
Choose a restaurant connected to a hotel garage with attendant.

Bottom line:

You should avoid having luggage in your car while parked for dinner inside San Francisco. The best, safest, and least stressful choices are (1) store luggage at SFO before dinner, (2) eat near the airport in Burlingame/Millbrae/San Mateo, or (3) return the rental car early and use rideshare. All these alternatives preserve your belongings and let you enjoy your final evening without worry.

Rental Car with Luggage

More San Francisco Travel Questions

The attractions mentioned in this question

Popular Destinations

Popular Travel Questions